Wrinkle resistance tester



' United States Patent Office 2,701,962 Patented Feb. 15, 1955 WRINKLE RESISTANCE TESTER .Reiner G. Stoll, Chatham, N. L, assignor to Celanese Corporation of America, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to a wrinkle resistance tester and relates more particularly to an improved process and apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of a fabr c.

The resistance to crushing and wrinkling of fabr cs is one of the most important performance characteristics of apparel fabrics in general and suiting fabrics 1n particular. What the consumer as well as most textile men refer to as wrinkle resistance or crease resistance of a fabric or garment is a combination of several, in themselves rather complex, characteristics; namely: resistance to wrinkling, recovery from wrinkling and retention of creases. Numerous attempts have been made to measure these characteristics by laboratory techniques. Some have tried to utilize compression tests on folded fabrics for measuring the resistance to wrinkling as well as the recovery from this deformation. More recently most investigators studying the wrinkle resistance of fabrics have -used crease angle recovery tests of which several are available. However, since the crease angle methods only give consideration to the recovery from a very specific kind of deformation and neglect differences in the degree of folding and wrinkling as they occur in actual wear as the result of the inherent stiffness and drape of the fabrics, this method cannot fully characterize the wrinkle resistance of fabrics. Therefore, the manufacture and wearing of garments isv generally considered as the most adequate method for determining whether'a given fabric has good or poor wrinkle resistance. However, this method also present-s numerous difficulties and only a large population of wear subjects as well as close supervision of environmental conditions and elaborate statistical analysis of the results will secure reliable data.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a process and apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of a fabric which will be free from the foregoing and other difficulties and which will be especially simple in construction and eflicient in operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a process and apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of a fabric that will approximate closely the conditions to which the fabric is subjected during actual use.

Other objects of this invention, together with certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

According to the present invention, a textile fabric is enclosed within a flexible member which is periodically collapsed onto the fabric and moved away from the fabric so as to subject the fabric to wrinking conditions. Following a definite number of cycles, the fabric may be examined visually, or in any other suitable manner to determine its resistance to wrinkling. In one embodiment of this invention, a sample of fabric is suspended freely in a flexible rubber member which is fastened to the inside of a container that is open to the atmosphere. The interior of the flexible rubber member is evacuated periodically so as to permit the pressure of the atmosphere to collapse the rubber member onto the fabric sample to subject the same to wrinkling conditions, following which pressure is applied to the interior of the rubber member to expand it away from the fabric sample. After a given interval the fabric sample is removed for evaluation. This' evaluation may be carried out visually, by stereoscopic photography, by tracing the contours scopic photographic evaluation have. been found to be I quite satisfactory since wrinkling is primarily a subjecof the wrinkled fabric and the like. Visual and stereotive quality embracing not only geometrical but also optical effects. The evaluation of the fabric samples may be carried out at various times, for example, immediately following the wrinkling, after one hour, 24 hours and hours to permit the recovery of the fabric to be evaluated.

In applying this invention a number of samples of different fabrics may be treated simultaneously and the evaluation of the wrinkle resistance of the fabrics may be carried out by comparing the wrinkled fabrics one with the other. By including one or more standard fabrics in each of the tests, it is possible to intercompare fabrics tested at different times. The fabric samples may have a crease pressed into them before testing to permit an evaluation to be made of the ability of the fabrics to retain a crease. Means may be provided to control the temperature and humidity of the air coming into contact with the fabric samples to permit different atmospheric conditions to be simulated closely.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein the figure is a view of the wrinkle resistance tester partly diagrammatic and partly in section.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference numeral 11 designates a supporting plate to the undersurface of which are fastened a plurality of collars 12 provided with bayonet slots 13.. Also fastened to the undersurface of the plate 11 and positioned centrally of the collars 12 are a plurality of supporting posts 14 each of which is provided with a ridge 15 extending around its periphery. Extending through the supporting posts 14 are conduits 16 which are connected in groups to conduits l7 and 18 forming a part of an air system shown diagrammaticallyand indicated generally by reference numeral 9.

Fabric samples 21 are wound around the supporting posts 14 and are held in place by spring clips 22 that cooperate with the ridges 15. The fabric samples 21 are enclosed in containers 23, preferably of plastic or other transparent material, which containers are held in place by pins 24 that engage the bayonet slots 13. Tubular rubber members 25 are positioned-in each of the containers 23 and have their free edges secured to the interior of said containers. The containers 23 are-open to the atmosphere having one or more apertures 26 extending through the walls-thereof. If desired, the fabric samples 21 may have a crease 27 ironed into them whereby the crease retentive ability of the fabrics may be readily evaluated.

The air system 19 comprises a pump 28 having a suction conduit 29 and a pressure conduit 31. The suction conduit 29 is connected by means of conduits 32 and 33 to solenoid-operated three way valves 34 and 35, respectively, to which the conduits 17 and 18 are also connected. The pressure conduit 31 leads to a humidity and temperature control chamber 36 which is connected by means of conduits 37 and 38 to the valves 34 and 35, respectively. The valves 34 and 35 are operated periodically by a cycling timer 39 so as alternately to connect the conduits 17 and 18 to the suction lines 32 and 33 or to the pressure lines 37 and 38. There is also provided in the air system 19 a timer 41 which determines the total length of the test. Power is supplied to operate the apparatus from terminals 42 through a switch 43. The degree of vacuum in the suction line is measured by a gage 44.

During a test, when suction is applied,-for example, to the conduit 18, the air will be exhausted from the interior of the tubular rubber members 25 in the two containers 23 connected to the conduit 18. Air entering the said containers 23 under atmospheric pressure through the apertures 26 will collapse the tubular rub ber members 25 onto the fabric samples 21 and will wrinkle said samples in a random manner as shown in the right hand side of the figure. At the same time, pressure will be applied to the interior of the tubular rubber members 25 in the two containers 23 that are connected to the conduit 17, moving said members away from contact with the fabric samples 21 in said containers and permitting said fabric samples to hang freely and relax as shown in the left hand side of the figure. Through operation of the recycling timer 39 suction and pressure will be applied alternately to the containers 23 at any desired intervals for a total period of time determined by the setting of the timer 41. At the completion of the test the wrinkle resistance of the fabric samples 21 may be determined readily.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of illustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. An apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of textile fabrics comprising a substantially impervious flexible member for enclosing'the fabric, and fluidmeans for collapsing the flexible member onto the fabric to wrinkle the fabric.

2. An apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of textile fabrics comprising a substantially impervious flexible member for enclosing the fabric, fluid means for periodically collapsing the flexible member onto the fabric to wrinkle the fabric and for moving the flexible member away from the fabric to permit the fabric to relax.

3. Anapparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of textile fabrics comprising a substantially impervious flexible member for enclosing the fabric, means for applying suction to the interior of the member whereby the member will collapse onto the fabric and wrinkle the fabric, and means for applying pressure to the interior of the member to move said member away from the fabric to permit the fabric to relax.

4. An apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of textile fabrics comprising means for suspending the fabric freely, a substantially impervious flexible member for enclosing the fabric, means for applying suction to the interior of the member whereby the member will collapse onto the fabric and wrinkle the fabric, and means for applying pressure to the interior of the member to movesaid member away from the fabric to permit the fabric to relax.

5. An apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of textile fabrics, comprising a support for holding the fabric, a substantially impervious flexible tubular member enclosing the fabric, a pump for applying suction to the interior of the tubular member to collapse the tubular member onto the fabric to wrinkle thefabric, and a pump for applying pressure to the interior of the tubular member to move the tubular member away from the fabric to permit the fabric to relax.

6. An apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of textile fabrics, comprising a support for holding the fabric in a freely suspended position, a substantially impervious flexible tubular member positioned externally thereof enclosing the fabric, a pump for applying suction to the interior ofthe tubular member whereby atmospheric pressure will collapse the tubular member onto the fabric to wrinkle the fabric, and a pump for applying pressure to the interior of the tubular member to move the tubular member away from the fabric to permit the fabric to relax.

7. An apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of textile fabrics, comprising a support for holding the fabric in a freely suspended osition,. a substantially impervious flexible tubular mem er positioned externally thereof enclosing the fabric, a pump having suction and pressure sides, a valve for periodically connecting the suction side of said pump to the interior of the tubular member whereby atmospheric pressure will collapse the tubular member onto the fabric to wrinkle the fabric, and a valve for periodically connecting the pressure side of said pump to the tubular member to move the tubular member away from the fabric to permit the fabric to relax.

8. An apparatus formeasuring the wrinkle resistance of textile fabrics, comprising means for supporting at least two pieces of textile fabrics, substantially impervious flexible members for enclosing the fabrics, a pump having pressure and suction sides, means for connecting the suction side of said pump to the interior of some of said flexible members whereby the members will collapse onto the fabric'and wrinkle the fabric, means for connecting the pressure side of said pump to the interior of other of said flexible members to move said flexible members away from the fabric to permit the fabric to relax, and means for periodically reversing the said connections.

9. An apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of textile fabrics, comprising supports for holding at least two pieces of textile fabrics, substantially impervious flexible tubular members for enclosing the fabrics, a pump having pressure and suction sides, means for connecting the suction side of said pump to the interior of some of said flexible members whereby the members' will collapse onto the fabric and wrinkle the fabric, means for connecting the pressure side of said pump to the interior of other' of said flexible members to move said flexible members away from the fabric to permit the fabric to relax, and means for periodically reversing the said connections.

10. An apparatus for measuring the wrinkle resistance of textile fabrics, comprising supports for holding at least two pieces of textile fabric, substantially impervious flexible tubular members positioned externally thereof enclosing the fabrics, a pump having pressure and suction sides, valves for connecting the suction side of said pump to the interior of some of said flexible members whereby the members will collapse onto the fabric and wrinkle the fabric, valves for connecting the pressure side of said pump to the interior of other of said flexible members to move said flexible members away from the fabric to permit the fabric to relax, and means for periodically reversing the said valves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,482,470 De Waard Sept. 20, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 640,133 Germany Nov. 17, 1935 

